It's Complicated
by LivexxLove
Summary: Dallas has been going on and on about how great his new girlfriend is. Every single day, the same idle chat. He can't stop talking about her. Until when I finally meet her, now I can't stop thinking about her. I know it's wrong but I think I'm falling for my best friend's girlfriend. *Auslly* Second ever fanfic. Please read and review :)
1. My Complication

**This is my second fanfic. I know I know… I probably should finish up what I've already got on my plate… but I've been itching to tell this story. Don't worry I'll finish up with it pitchy keen. Oh yeah, I **_**HAVE **_**been waiting. Squeeeeee! And, relax. I hope you likey! No, like seriously, I hope you LIKE it.**

* * *

Dallas. The whackjob that never knows how to put a lid on it. Apparently he hooked up with some girl last week and now he goes on and on nonstop talking about her. He'd talk about her smile, her eyes… he'd even talk about what she had for breakfast. Which is a bit creepy if you'd ask me.

Somehow every topic of every conversation leads to her, and it's driving me crazy. I lift my head from the crook of my elbow to see him grinning, the ends of his smile practically stretching to his earlobes. He's supposed to be telling Dez and me some story he's already said about a million times. I'm saying he's supposed to because neither of us was listening. I watch Dez slowly doze off closing his eyes in slits, having his hand set absent-mindedly in a bowl of Mac and cheese. Yes, it was that boring. Dez and I have suffered through this torture for a whole week. 7 days, 168 hours, 10,080 minutes, 604,800 seconds. Say it however you want but it won't make a difference.

"So she said she wanted some pickles but I said we should have chips instead, and then she says-"

"What about pickled chips?" I finish blankly.

He laughs like a total maniac. "Yeah, how did you know that?" he wipes a stray tear from the corner of his eye.

"This is the seventy ninth time you're saying this. And yes I _am _counting." I frown. "I don't even get it. There's nothing funny about that"

"Seriously? Seventy ninth?"

I nod. Dallas shifts his gaze to Dez. "Are my stories really that boring?" he pokes him in the shoulder.

"You tell me" I stand up.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Somewhere else. Where I don't have to listen to your droning"

"Wait, we can work this out. Just take a seat first."

I peer at him suspiciously.

"I swear I won't say a single word about her."

I'm still suspicious though.

"Really!" He stresses.

I sit. Dallas wipes his forehead with the back of his hand, looking at me with a thoughtful stare. For a second back there I thought he was about to say something theorist. If at all meaningful.

"Dude, are you jealous?" The words escape from his lips swiftly. Neither theorist nor meaningful.

"What?"

He rests his hand on my shoulder lightly. "C'mon don't play dumb. I know how you must feel right now"

"If your answer is alarmed and confused, then you're right" I shrug his hand off my shoulder.

He ignores me. "You feel hurt that your best friend is being taken away from you… and you're jealous. Really jealous of my girlfriend" his lips break into a cynical smile.

"I'm not jealous of anyone. And you promised not to mention your girlfriend again"

"But you just mentioned her now so we're even. Deal off."

It's so like Dallas to always find a loophole.

"I'm out of here" I stand up again.

"Alright, alright. I'll just get to the point. I want you to meet her"

"No thanks. I want you to stop talking about her now you want me to meet her? That's like giving your money to a burglar so he doesn't steal it"

"So how does tomorrow sound like?" Dallas ignores. "Or maybe the next? You know what; anytime you feel like would be A –Okay"

"How about never" I say dryly.

"Come on" He whined.

I walk out of the café but the lunatic is still stalking me on the street. "Please, please, please" he begged.

"No!" I deadpanned but he doesn't budge. And he's driving me totally nuts.

"Okay!" I cave in. "Let's make a deal. If I say yes, will you leave me alone and go bug someone else?"

"Likewise"

"Then yes. Now scram"

He holds his two hands up in defense. "Don't be so hard on me, bro. We're all friends here"

"You won't be one for long if you don't disappear" I retort before I turn my back on him with my hands pocketed and walked away.

"Austin, wait." He calls.

I rear my head around to catch a glimpse of him.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

I give him a confused look.

"Dez?"

My eyes shot open. We actually forgot him in the café. And that's one heck of a bill we left there. Eat in a place like that and try to dodge a bill, you'd get shot with a non fatal dart and wake up a few hours later chained to a dishwasher and you'd wash dishes in a basement for practically the rest of your life. Forever's a long while and Dez won't be so happy with us. Plus he owes me money… and I must say his TV's really awesome.

I turn around. "Let's go"

Dallas produces an exaggerated sigh. "Looks like I'm broke so I'll just be on my way and 'leave you alone'" He rephrases me with a smirk.

Damn! He found another loophole.

"Smartass" I mumble under my breath walking back to the café, this time alone.

The bell above the door jingles as I make a re-entrance into the room. I scan the room until my gaze rests on a mess of ginger hair. I walk over to Dez, who is still sleeping, this time his face plastered on the cheese coated macaroni. I shake him furiously.

"Dez, wake up!"

He lifts his face from the sticky mess. "Oh man" he wiped his face with a napkin. "Where's Dallas?"

"He had to leave"

"Thank goodness"

I close my eyes in slits for a while in thought, "You know what, Dez, and we can't keep going on like this. Some no named girl out there is eating up our friend and we've got to stop it"

"How?"

"I'm going to get her out of the picture. For good"

"How?" he repeated.

I was planning on skipping out on Dallas and his precious little girlfriend then come up with a fib later, but I'm just realizing how good an opportunity this is. "I'll meet her … and make sure things between her and Dallas go downhill from there"

"Well, we _will _be free from Count Dorkula's stupid tales, but isn't that I little, I don't know, evil?"

"Whatever. It's what has to be done." I turn my back on him. "And I'll do it."

* * *

"Oh man. I can't wait for you to meet her. You'll love her!" Dallas resounded for the tenth time tonight, patting my back. I flick a yellow tinted leaf off my shoulder then re pocketed my hands in my jacket.

"I don't think so" I say dryly.

"Whatever" he starts to hum and tap his feet rhythmically. Then he checks his phone anxiously. "She told me she'd meet me here about now"

"Aren't _you _supposed to pick her up?"

"Well, that ruins the surprise… plus my dad cut my allowance so I'm short on fuel" he muttered.

"How romantic" I tease, sarcasm dripping from my tone.

He pushes me. "Hey look, there she comes!" He points at a distance.

I see a small figure approach us. As she gets closer, I study each detail of her. She's wearing black leather heeled boots that reach up to her knees, a cotton white sweater and a pair of gray leggings. She's also wearing a black leather jacket and her gleaming chocolate brown eyes take my breath away, her caramel locks cascade down her shoulders like a waterfall. She's beautiful. The only value Dallas finds relevant in a girl. And I'd be lying if I said she didn't look amazing. Just like a supermodel that walked straight out of a magazine.

Dallas steps in. "Ally I'd like you to meet Austin. Austin, this is Ally"

Ally… the name drips off my tongue like honey.

"Hi" She waves at me. But I don't reply. Instead, I turn on my heel and walk away. "What's wrong with him?" I hear her ask Dallas.

"Oh, he's just the grumpy type. Nothing much. Hey, we've got a movie to watch. Let's go" Dallas replies huskily.

I turn my head to see Dallas wrap his arm around her shoulder and lead her away. Just before they walk away, she looks back at me and our eyes lock for a second, then I turn again, determined not to look back again.

I walk back home, taking in the cool late September night breeze. I kick some stray stones and twigs on the sidewalk, trying to keep out the quiet. I reach my house and take a pause in front of the masonry door, letting out a sigh before I open it with the house key. I pass the kitchen where my mum calls me. "Austin, sweetie. Where have you been?" She smiles. "Come on and have dinner"

"I'm not hungry" I answer coldly, bounding up the stairs without a second look. I hear my dad sigh and I can imagine the disheartened looks on their faces. But I've gotten used to it all. I've gotten used to being cold and alone. Ever since my ex-girlfriend Cassidy died in a tragic car accident, there's been this big void hole in my heart I don't think will ever be whole again. I shut everybody out. Friends and family. No exceptions. I don't believe in love. Not anymore. It only succeeded in tearing me apart. Bit by bit.

I sprawl on my bed and stare at the blank white ceiling. I'm trying to get _her_ out of my head. I replay over and over again our one-sided conversation, stalling to savor the sweet sound of her voice. I can remember her amazing eyes and rosy lips, like it's a picture. Everything about her is gnawing at my soul and I have to stop this. I don't want to lose myself again. Plus she's Dallas' girl. I don't want things to get more complicated than they already are. And my life's messed up enough. I close my eyes and the darkness seeps in again.

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**I'm sorry if the story sucks. If you think I should just stop now or I should finish it up, please let me know. But REEEEEEEAAAAAAALLLLLLY hope you like it. I'm about to go on Netflix and watch Once Upon A Time but I want to leave one more thing.**

**Question: Would you rather kiss a frog or your Social Studies teacher?**

**Please reply and Let me know. I'm not really sure what I'd go with. Teacher perhaps…. Then I'd boil my lips with antiseptic later.**

**Bye! Love you guys to shreds! Please review! P.s. Rumpelstiltskin's really a badass. Sorry for the language. I wonder what Emma's going to do next.**

**Sorry I got carried away. Please review anyway. Love. You. Guys.**


	2. A Whole New World

**R5love: Well, I guess you have a point. I'll work on that. Thanks for reviewing anyway!**

**Silkycatastrophe: OMG thanks so much. You love OUAT? Please contact me in a while. We've got a lot to talk about. Thanks for reviewing. P.s. my favorite character is Henry. He's just so darn cute!**

**PrincessCrazy124: I love that song too! Thanks for reviewing**

**Cheeko99: You're my first reviewer. That's so epic. Totes Awesome. Thanks for reviewing**

**P.s. most people chose the teacher… well no one would want a slimy frog jammed against their lips I guess.**

* * *

"So, how did it go?" Dez asks behind my locker before slamming it shut.

"What do you think?" I cock my head towards Dallas who is standing a few yards away chatting with a bunch of guys about she- who- must- not- be- named.

Dez lets out a sigh. "Maybe they're just meant to be"

I pause. "Maybe they're not" I suddenly snap.

I leave him before he's able to reply and made a beeline to my homeroom, taking a stare at the class before filing in. I sit at the far back, sinking into the seat. The bell goes off and the teacher walks in almost immediately.

"Good morning, class" Mrs. Chesterfield adjusts her glasses and smoothes her skirt anxiously. "Something unexpected happened today" she breathes, pulling back her hair. "It turns out we have an extra student here. Allyson, come in."

I raise an eyebrow at the disturbing familiarity of the name.

The girl walks in nervously. She gives a small wave. "Hi, I'm Ally Dawson" she stifles.

"Ally, go find a seat" the teacher ushers her in.

I see her peer around then I notice that the only vacant seat is at my front. She starts to walk over. I dump my backpack on it swiftly.

"Someone's here" I say blandly.

"Oh, um…" She shifts her gaze uneasily. "But there's nowhere else to sit"

I shrug.

"Austin, let her have a seat" Mrs. Chesterfield says sternly. Defeat.

I shoot Ally a spiteful look before I retrieve my backpack. She sits on the wooden desk gingerly.

"Alright" the teacher breaks the silence. "I hope that didn't cause much of a distraction. Now back to literature. We'll be looking at the well renowned poet, William Shakespeare. I'm going to keep this lesson short and simple. You all will be given an assignment. I'll give you all a week to research on this man and choose anyone of his plays you would like to work on. That shouldn't be too hard. Open your textbooks to chapter nine, topic Shakespeare."

There's the annoying sound of the constant flipping of pages. I stand my Lit. Textbook and rest my head in my arm's crook behind it and try to doze off. I don't care about all this poetry jazz. Nothing mattered to me. I'm not even sure why I chose literature in the first place. Ally turns her head to look at me after a while.

"Aren't you going to read the entry?" She asks.

I open an eye. "Don't want to"

The bell goes and Ally gets up and smoothes her pants. "So, what play are you thinking of working on?"

"Don't you get it? I'm not doing it" I keep my tone bored and simple.

"I'm thinking of Romeo and Juliet" She smiles obliviously, absentmindedly tucking a lock of silken hair behind her ear. "It's really romantic. Two forbidden lovers so in love that they give up everything just to be together." She pauses. "Just think about it. Literature can be a whole new world. Just let it take you there. Give it a try" She walks away, leaving me sunken in thought. I _won't_ give it a try.

My next class is in ten minutes. I think I'll be able to get a moment of silence. I thought wrong. Dallas approaches me with his familiar ear to ear grin.

"So, I hear Ally's now in your homeroom" he pauses, rubbing his palms against each other. "Did she say something about me, maybe?" He inquires with a glint of hope in his eyes.

"Fortunately, she didn't" I deadpan.

"Oh" His face fell.

I smirk at this. "Not everybody's a talker like you, Dallas."

"Whatever" he scoffs and leaves, but by then it's too late for a silent timeout. The bell rings and students are dispersing again. Great…

* * *

School's over. Finally, it felt like forever. Then it starts all over again tomorrow.

Ally appears out of nowhere.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with Dallas or something?" I sneer.

She stifles a smile. "Have you thought about it yet?" she asks.

I scoff. "I am _not _going to do it. You're wasting your time, you know that?"

"I wouldn't think of it that way. Let's just say, I'm touching lives"

It's my turn to stifle a smile. "Oh really?"

She nods.

"Well, I'm not one of those lives" I say before I cross another street.

"Still think about it!" She yells from across the street.

"I won't!" I yell back. The next time I look back at her, she's not there again. Crazy chick. I stop at a Wal-Mart on the way home to buy a Mars bar. I let the taste linger around my taste buds. Chocolate and caramel. Ally. I don't know how such simple things somehow always lead to her. I've been trying to push her out of my head but she still manages to butt in again. I corner my neighborhood, my mind suddenly burdened with what excuse I could use to avoid my parents again.

I push the solid door open, trying to notice any other sounds in the house. Nothing. Fortunately for me, they were probably still at work. I go up to my bedroom and flounce on my bed, and then memories of her start to flood my brain again. 'Literature can be a whole new world. Just let it take you there. Give it a try' her voice echoes through my head.

I get up and go to the nearest bookshop around. Then I buy a copy of Romeo and Juliet. I slither back home to my bedroom and open up the branded pages, taking a whiff of that factory smell. I flip through the pages and before I notice, I reach the other paperback. I was through with it. And it wasn't as bad as I imagined. Two cursed lovers. I like the sound of that.

And I'm there thinking of how an impulsive girl could just muscle into my head and somehow get me to read a book I couldn't save my life for. I'd think of Ally as a story. She could be a whole new world for me. If I just let her take me there.

* * *

**Sorry this chapter sucked. Please don't hate me.**

**Question: Would you rather be trapped all night in the cafeteria while the cafeteria monitor goes in detail about her intestinal problems, or be trapped in your room with someone after they've committed an ODOR CRIME (fart)?**

**I'd rather be trapped with the monitor. What about you?**

**Please leave a review! P.s. I love you guys! P.s.s.: Did you know that P.s. stands for post script? I know right!**


	3. Temptations

**Sorry I took so long to update. It's between my busy schedule and hating everything I wrote. This is sort of a filler chapter. I really hope you like it. Like seriously.**

**Princesscrazy124: Awww… Thanks for the compliment. BTW I totally understand with the whole questionnaire thingie. It was a real toughie. **

**Guest: Thank you for the suggestion. I'll think about it.**

**Ausllyrauraluv: Thank you!**

**AusllyxLover: Thanks! I love Jessie too. I was there thinking "hmmm, what name do I give the teacher?" then Jessie came on and I was like 'Hey! What about Mrs. Chesterfield?!" I know, I'm crazy…. **

**Queenc: Love it too. **

**Thanks to all the other reviewers! So sorry I couldn't squeeze you in here…. Maybe next time?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

I was late. I toss the heavy comforter off my bed, looking for my stupid phone. Nothing on the sheets. I go down on my hands and knees, searching on the floor. I see it underneath my desk then I extend a hand to retrieve it. But I feel something else. I grab it and pull my arm backwards, studying the object. _Romeo and Juliet. _I pick out my phone and stand up, brushing off my pants. Then I throw the book with a first into the bin. I turn the knob open, getting out but I stop midway and look back at the book. I don't know why, but I picked it back out and lay it on my desk instead.

"Did you do it?" A voice behind me says.

I turn to look at her. "No I didn't" I lie.

"Why don't we play a game? You pretend you didn't read it, and I'll pretend like I believe you"

"I'm dead serious. I didn't do anything. I hate literature. Always have, always will"

Dallas appears out of nowhere. He snakes his arm around Ally's waist. "There you are" he says to her before he looks at me. "I see you're being friendly with my friend here, Austin"

"I think we're friends too" Ally adds. She gives me a quirky smile.

"Friendly _friends_ huh? Well. Well, that's _cute_"

He leaves with her and rears his head, mouthing to me. 'I don't like it'

I smirk and head to homeroom. Slouching in my desk, I notice a brown eyed brunette sit on her desk, her highlighted locks dancing slowly on my desk top. I tap her shoulder with a pencil. "Do you mind?"

She ignores and brushes the pencil off.

I start to tug at her hair tips.

"Stop it"

I tug harder.

"Stop it!"

I _don't _stop, of course. I keep going until she finally cracks. She pulls her hair up and uses her sparkly yellow hand band to tuck it into a neat pony tail.

"There" she huffs.

I don't know why I'm strangely tempted to pull her hair again, but I go with it anyway.

"Stop – it" she repeats, this time her voice a bit menacing.

I flick her pony tail with one hand. "Why's your hair so long, anyway?" I ask blandly, failing to hide the grin playing lightly on my lips.

She turns her head for the first time today. "It's not my fault that-" she paused, a slow smile silently creeping on her face. "Hey, you're _actually _smiling. You really are! I've never seen you smile before" she mocks surprise. "I've got to get this" Ally pulls out her phone.

I place my hand squarely on my face, attempting to block her line of vision. "Buzz off" I mutter.

"Come on it's just a picture." She begs.

I ignore her whining.

She huffs and puts her phone away. "Dallas _was_ right. You _are _grumpy" she says like she knew it was going to get on my nerves.

"Whatever" I reply unenthusiastically.

Someone clears their throat behind us. Mrs. Chesterfield crossed her arms with a scowl plastered on her face. "I hope you two realize that the class has begun"

Ally's face turns a beet red. "Sorry Miss"

"Misses" the teacher corrected.

Tillie Thompson raises a hand. "But I thought you were single"

Mrs. Chesterfield chokes on her words. "No"

Tillie smiles obliviously and cocks her head to one side. "So he's dead then?"

There's a chorus of light chuckling in the class. "You just earned yourself detention, missy. And I want to have a word with your parents"

Tillie rolls her eyes.

The teacher faces the class again. "So, I hope you all have decided on which of Shakespeare's art you shall work on"

She calls on a blonde girl wearing a sun dress of about a hundred different shades of pink, which is odd for the autumn weather. "Summer"

"Mid- Summer Night's Dream" she replies dreamily.

"Tillie" she says a little coarsely.

Tillie entwines her fingers on the desk. "Macbeth"

"That's an odd choice." She gives a confused face. "Why?"

"I like the idea of authority murder. It's kind of a reminder that no one stays in power forever." She narrows her eyes. "Especially through unjust oppression"

Mrs. Chesterfield is transfixed for a moment. Then Summer speaks up, her voice bubbling with giggles. "Don't you get it, Miss? She means you!"

"Sit" the teacher's voice is cold and menacing. The smile disappears immediately from Summer's face. It's replaced by fear and uncertainty.

"Summer, detention. Tillie, _double _detention."

"Thanks a lot" Tillie mutters bitterly to Summer.

"You're welcome" she replies with her usual oblivious smile.

The teacher's smile moves steadily over the class, and I try as much as possible to remain unseen.

She smirks. "Austin Moon"

"What?"

She sighs. "What story are you planning on working on?"

Ally turns to face me, hope glinting in her eyes.

"I didn't do the assignment" I lie again.

I see her face drop at the reply.

Mrs. Chesterfield crosses her arms again. "And why?"

I shrug. "I dunno. Because I don't … care. And I never did"

She rests her hand on her forehead with agitation. "God, you kids are going to make me lose my mind someday" she murmurs to herself. "Anyway, let's get back to class"

Her voice fades into the background. Ally rears her head again to catch a glimpse of me for nearly a second, and then she turns her head with a sigh.

* * *

"Why did you do it?" Ally stalks me after school hours. But I ignore her. Again. "Why did you do it?" she repeats and tugs on my arm. "Why won't you answer me? Why did you do it? Tell me" she pressed.

I brush her arm away. "What? Why did I do what?"

"You lied. You lied to Miss Chesterfield, didn't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about" I defend.

She folds her arms over her chest. "I don't know why I even bother to talk to you" She mutters the last part to herself. "So stuck up"

I raise an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

She clicks her heel on the concrete and shakes her head. "Come on, let's just go" Ally tries to change the subject.

"Let's? Where do you even live?"

She flicks four fingers. "4th Baker Avenue"

"What?!" My jaw literally drops to the floor.

She laughs. "Just kidding. I don't actually live there…"

I sigh in desperate relief.

"… At least not yet" she adds.

I chuckle. "What do you even mean by that?"

"There's Halloween, thanksgiving, Christmas, and The New Year all drawing close, and we'll be having a little family reunion soon-"

"Why are you telling me all this?" I ask her quizzically.

She rolls her eyes. "Let me finish, ok? Our apartment's getting really cramped up" She twiddles with her fingers before she looks at me. "I know you don't really care about all this"

"Figures" I mutter. I step in front of her and gesture with my hands. "Go away now. I don't want you to know where I live or something. Or even show up"

"You're not worth it" She hisses.

Somehow, that stung "Whatever." I flick my fingers. "Bye bye now" I turn my back on her.

"Austin, wait" She calls.

"What now?" I grumble.

"Let's go somewhere else. I don't want to go home" She says bashfully.

I raise an eyebrow and sigh, ruffling through my hair. Of course I_ did_ want to go with her, but I couldn't. I'm in thought for a while, threatening to back down her offer, her wide brown eyes making it nearly impossible.

I grab her hand and she gapes in shock. "Sure. I don't want to go home either"

She smiles awkwardly, slowly prying off my fingers. "Great"

* * *

**I hope you liked it. If you didn't, please don't stop reading. I'll try to make it better. If you did, then I TOTALLY LOVE YOU! I really love literature, that's why I chose the subject for the story. We're dealing with William Shakespeare this semester, I really thought it was boring at first but now I can't take my eyes off our literal book. I should really stop this yipper- yapper. I must be boring you. What question should I leave today…..?**

**Question: If you had an opportunity to get into any movie you love, which one would you pick?**

**I'd choose Oz the great and powerful, what about you?"**

**BTW: Animations are not excluded.**

**Please don't forget to leave a review!**


	4. A Tale to Tell

**New record! Only one day difference to update! Wish you appreciated it. Sorry it's a little bit rushed. My Dad's driving me crazy! Do this, do that; go here, go there. So many chores. Anyway, I hope you likey. Sorry, I won't be able to do review responses this time. I was in so much of a hurry that I forgot to check. Maybe next time?**

* * *

Where we were going? I didn't know. It really didn't seem to matter. As long as it wasn't home. She was walking at an uneven pace, her curls swooshing all over the place. Her converse sneakers made awkward scooting sounds with each step she took. Almost as awkward as the atmosphere. The background was lively with all the honking and yelling and bustling, but even with all that I feel like we're in a cemetery. A place full of silence and surrealism. A flurry of tinted orange leaves blow past us in the wind, making her hair flow even more. She keeps her hands pocketed and I can almost sense her stiffness. She's obviously uncomfortable. I probably shouldn't have held her hand back then. The further we walked the less people around. The noise slowly dies down and the only sound to be heard is our rugged breathing and the constant shuffling of feet.

She stops abruptly, taking a moment to respire. "We're here" she informs, pushing the latch door open.

"What's this?" I ask, taking in the musky air.

She flips a switch on, the slightly dimmed light flooding the room. I see shelves. Lots of shelves and dangling spider webs.

"It's a book store" she explains. "Well technically it _was _a book store. Now only I come here. I don't even know how long it's been here"

I slide a finger down a shelf, flicking off what seemed to be about a whole inch of layered dust. "That makes more sense" I reason. I look at the musty room again, grimacing. "Haven't you ever thought of cleaning up the place?"

She walks to one of the shelves and pulls out a book. "Of course not!" she snaps like I had just said the most abominable sentence in the world. She looks back at me. "All these books have a story to tell. And so do the cobwebs and the dust. They know who's been here and the history of this place" she smoothes her fingers across the book. "The last pair of hands that graced this book. They're full of so many stories just waiting to be told"

I look at her like she's the craziest thing I've ever seen. Well, except Dallas that is.

"They're just cobwebs, Ally. Cobwebs can't talk or write" I deadpan and knit my eyebrows together in confusion. "I really don't get you"

She dismissed my statement with a simple roll of her eyes and flips open her book.

I pace around for a few minutes in silence. "Why did you bring me here?"

She raises her eyes from the slightly yellowed pages, taking a moment to recollect what I just said.

"I don't know" she skims through a shelf, pulling out another dusty book. "Why don't you read one?" she passes the hardcover to me with a toss. "You might like it. I've read that one before"

I raise the book to my eye level, taking in the cover art. _Tell Me Your Dreams. _"What's it about?"

"A young woman, troubled with MPD, is accused of first degree murder"

"Well _did_ she do it? And what the heck is MPD?"

"Multiple Personality Disorder. It's a psychological condition which a person has more than one personality in a single body, often caused by child traumas. And technically, she didn't do it" she replies mechanically.

'Do you know their names?" I ask enthusiastically.

"The woman is Ashley Patterson. The other two personalities are Alette Peters and Toni Prescott."

"Then who's the murderer?"

She sighs. "Austin, you're asking way too many questions. If you really want to know what happened, then just read it"

I look at the book again, letting out a groan. It wasn't like I expected her to tell me the whole book from start to finish.

"I'll try" I mumble, not missing the smile creeping unto her face. "Let's just go" I slide the book into the first shelf, making sure to leave it sticking out a bit.

"I thought you were going to try?" She looks disappointed.

I shrug effortlessly. "I lied"

Ally huffs and tucks a lock of silvery caramel hair behind her ear. "Whatever" She pulls the door open again.

I smirk and walk behind her, taking slow easy steps. She's humming an unfamiliar tune to herself, swinging her arms about. Our hands may have brushed a few times. Maybe twice. Maybe thrice. But we both tried as much as we could to pretend nothing happened.

We weren't doing a very good job.

"I have to go now" She waves and walks to the other side of the street.

I stifle the urge to wave back, because then I would be letting her in. I watch her shadowy figure disappear in the dark before I begin my journey back home.

Howling trees, hollow breeze, silent streets.

I stop in front of the masonry door as usual before going in. Home. Also known as 5th Baker Avenue and that shallow gray building I use to hide from everybody. Even the people who live there. I wasn't ready for this. I wanted to go back. Back to that spooky old and forgotten bookstore. Back to Ally. Only one of those options is possible. So I went with my gut and turned around. I try my best to remember the paths we took, because I really wasn't paying attention on our way there.

I see a pile of blown leaves on the ground. At least now I know I'm actually going the right way. I recognize this place. Dark and musty. I know I'm here.

I push the door open, freaking out a little when a spider pops out of nowhere. I try to find the light switch in the dark. I feel something plastic and cold, and I flick it. Light fills the whole place. It even looks creepier than before, especially now that I'm alone. I wonder how Ally deals with this.

I spot my book which I intentionally left poking out of the shelf and I take it with one smooth move. I look at the cover once again. "Tell Me Your Dreams, huh?" I use a slim finger to flip it open, taking in the sudden musty scent. I wince at the smell.

I start to read the worn pages, flipping page after page. This was some really good stuff. I stifle a yawn and check my watch. "Two a.m.?" What is this book anyway? Ten thousand pages?

I pocket the slightly voluminous novel in my backpack and leave the old store. I had to finish the book, so I guess Ally was right. I was taken to a whole new world when I let it. A world of the author's making. But I wonder how it'd be to be in Ally's world. I bet it'd be simple and convenient. Unlike mine.

* * *

It's Thursday. I hate Thursdays. Come to think of it, I hate _every_ day of the week. Except Sundays of course. Ally talked me into going to the store again, and this time I give in easily.

She's a lot more compatible this time, bringing up idle chat every now and then. She pushes the door open and switches the light on again in obvious familiarity. She passes the first shelf and pauses.

"Wasn't there a book here?" she rests her fingers on the vacant slot.

I can feel my face flush. "No. I don't really remember a book being there" I lie casually.

She knits her eyebrows in confusion but it lasts for just a moment and she's back to scanning through shelves. She opens the book she had been reading the other day and takes a whiff of the pages. "Ah, the joy" she sighs in pleasure.

"I don't get it. That smell is repulsive!" I tell her pointedly.

"It is not" she retorts. "It's pleasing and calming"

I smirk. "You're pretty weird"

She rolls her eyes and rests them on the book. But it isn't long before they hover over the room again.

"I wish they could speak" she says absent mindedly.

"What?"

"The spider-webs. I wish they could speak"

I smirk again. I wish they _couldn't _speak. Because they'd tell her about how I broke in to sneak a peek at a simple book. How I keep spouting out lies just to retain my pride. How I stay awake at night thinking about her. They'd tell her tales I wouldn't want her to know. I wouldn't want anyone to know. And I'd make sure of it.

Her eyes are glistening at me, eagerly waiting for a response.

"Me too" I lie again.

* * *

**I hope you liked it!**

**Question: what's your favorite show?**

**Mine's Austin and Ally, obviously. What about your's?**

**Please leave a review! Love ya!**


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